Polishing machine having resilient mount for aerosol dispenser



Jan. 8, "1963 P. RACHLIN 3,071,792

POLISHING MACHINE HAVING RESILIENT MOUNT FOR AEROSOL DISPENSER FiledNov. 4, 1960 67 INVENTOR. |'L|P RACHLIN ATTORNEY United States Patent3,071 792 POLISHING MACHINE HAVING RESILIENT MDUNT FOR AERGSOL DISPENSERPhilip Rachlin, Havertown, Pa, assignor to Eastern Research Corporation,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 4, 1966,Ser. No. 67,281 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-50) This invention relates to apolishing machine having an aerosol dispenser thereon. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a polishing machine having anaerosol container of a wax finishing agent resiliently mounted thereonand a nozzle means for selectively dispensing a wax finishing agent onto.a floor adjacent the polishing machine in the form of an aerosolizedfoam.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Serial No. 38,573, filed on June 24, 1960, and entitledPolishing Machine With Aerosol Dispenser.

It has been found desirable to provide a polishing machine with acontainer of a wax finishing agent which can be selectively dispensedonto the floor adjacent the polishing machine in a manner which does notinterfere with the careful manipulation of the machine by the operator.The polishing machine should be provided with a container of wax whichwill enable the machine to remove scuff marks and dispense the wax on aportion of the floor to be polished while the adjacent portion of thefloor is being polished. The Wax should be of a nature so that it driesimmediately thereby enabling the floors in congested buildings such asdepartment stores, railroad stations, office buildings, etc. to bepolished while the buildings are being used. Heretofore, it has beenconventional to clean and polish floors in congested buildings duringthe evening hours so .as not to interfere with the activities beingcarried on within these buildings.

It is desirable to provide a cleaning and polishing all purpose wax sothat a floor may be cleaned and polished simultaneously. In addition,the wax should be of such av nature so that the polishing machine willprovide a continuous film of wax on the floor instead of a series ofminute spots. The wax should be provided within a container so that itmay be dispensed with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator ofthe polishing machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel polishingmachine having an aerosol dispenser resiliently mounted thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a polishingmachine with an aerosol dispenser which takes advantage of the vibratorymotion generated by a motor on said machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a polishingmachine with an aerosol dispenser capable of dispensing wax in the formof aerosolized foam.

vIt is still another object of the present invention to provide apolishing machine with an aerosol dispenser having a nozzle positionedat a remote point from the container for the floor finishing agent beingdispensed.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the floor polishing machine of thepresent invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view of the handle and aerosol dispenser ofthe present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 inFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE .2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate likeelements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a polishing machine designatedgenerally as 10.

The polishing machine 10 comprises a brush housing 12 which supports anelectric motor 14 on its upper surface. The motor 14 is provided with adrive shaft (not shown) connected to a circular brush 16 for rotatablydriving the same in a manner, per se, well known in the art. The brush16 is disposed on top of a pad 18, said pad lying on the floor to becleaned and polished.

A shaft 2! is connected to a boss 22 on the brush housing 12 by a pivotpin 24. The end of the shaft 20 remote from the brush housing 12 isprovided with a T-shaped handle 26. The handle 26 is provided with aswitch button 28. The switch button 28 is connected to a switch (notshown) within the handle 26 and said switch is connected to the motor 14by wires 30 which extend through the shaft 20.

A sealed pressurized aerosol container 32 is mounted on the shaft 20adjacent the handle 26 by a pair of clamps 34. The clamps 34 are madefrom an elastomeric material for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter.As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the clamps 34 comprise an annularring 36 having a channel 38 and a U- shaped clamp 40 integral therewithby means of the thick web 42. The portion 44 of the ring 36 which isdiametrically opposite the web 42 has a thickness substantially lessthan the thickness of the ring 36 adjacent the web 42. The arms 46 and48 of the U-shaped clamp 40 extend around the shaft 20 and are fixedlysecured together by the bolt 50. The bolt 50 is threaded and the headthereof is juxtaposed to one surface on the arm 46 and a nut 51 isjuxtaposed to the arm 48.

The aerosol container 32 is provided with a wax solution dissolved inFreon 12 under eighty pounds per square inch of pressure. The formulafor the wax solution may be in accordance with the formula set forth inthe aboveidentified copending application. All of the constituents aredissolved by the Freon 12 which is the propellant for dispensing the waxsolution out of the container 32. The Freon 12 forces the wax solutionup through an axially disposed pipe 52. The lower end of the pipe 52(not shown) is disposed adjacent to but spaced from the bottom wall ofthe container 32. The upper end of the pipe 52 is provided with externalthreads on which is mounted the valve body 54. The valve body 54 isprovided with a counterbore internally threaded for cooperation with theexternal threads on the pipe 52. The valve body 54 is provided with anaxial bore extending from its upperrnost surface. The latter mentionedbore is provided with internal threads 56 threads on the valve stem 58.The valve stem 58 cooperates with'the valve body 54 to define a valvingchamber 59. The valve stem 58 is provided with a radially extendinghandle 60 adjacent to the handle 26 for the shaft 20.

The lowermost surface of the valve stem 58 within the valving chamber 59is provided with a resilient valve member 62. The valve member 62cooperates with the seat defined by the angled wall 64 and thehorizontal bottom wall 66 to control flow of the wax solution from at?tube 52 through the inlet port '67 in the bottom wall As seen moreclearly in FIGURE 1, the valve body 54 is provided with a boss 69 havinga bore in communication with the valving chamber 59. A flexible tube 70is connected to the boss 69 and extends along the container 32 withinthe channels 38 to a nozzle 72 mounted on the brush housing 12. Thenozzle 72 is provided with an outlet 73 directed so as to dispense thewax solution onto which matingly engage external J? the fioor adjacentthe brush 16. A flexible wire extends from the uppermost clamp to theboss 69 so as to prevent strain on the hose 7i) and locate the valvebody 54 when the container 32 is replaced.

The polishing machine 10 of the present invention is utilized in thefollowing manner:

A commercially available abrasive pad 18 is disposed on a floor. Themachine 10 is then disposed on the pad 18 as shown in FIGURE 1. Then theoperator will plug in the electrical cord (not shown) for the motor 14in a suitable electrical outlet. Then the operator will operate themotor 14 by actuating the switch button 23 on the handle 26. Then bydigital manipulation, the operator will rotate the handle 66 on thevalve stem 58 thereby 'moving the valve member 62 away from its valveseat so that a wax solution is permitted to be discharged from thecontainer 32 by the Preon l2 propellant. The wax solution flows throughthe hose 70 and is discharged by the nozzle 72 onto the floor adjacentthe brush housing 12 in the form of an aerosolized foam.

The machine 10 is then manipulated by the operator 'so that the pad 18is disposed over the foam wax solution on the floor. The rotary movementof the brush 16 and pad 18 removes the old wax from the floor andpolishes the floor with a continuous film of wax having a high luster.The Freon 12 which was in solution with the wax evaporates so that therotary movement of the pad providesa continuous high luster wax filminstead of a series of minute spots of high luster wax. The wax solutionwill dry almost immediately so that a person may walk over thenewlywaxed portion of the floor. Thus, the waxing of the floor may beaccomplished without interrupting the activities of persons utilizingthe floor such as the customers in a department store. Scuff marks arereadily removed by the abrasive pad 18 and the film of wax provided onthe floor is noticeably devoid of any slippery characteristics. That is,the continuous film of wax is not slippery and does not provide a dangerfor those persons walking on the film immediately after being deposited.After a small portion of the floor has been polished, the handle 60 onthe valve stem 58 is digitally manipulated so as to deposit a smallamount of aerosolized foam wax on the floor adjacent to the polishedportion. The operator will then manipulate the machine 10 so as to cleanand polish the next portion of the floor. This procedure is repeateduntil the entire floor or a large portion thereof has been cleaned andpolished. Thereafter, the pad 18 will be removed and a buffing pad willbe substituted therefor. Then the operator will buff the cleaned andpolished portion of the floor.

Freon 12 is substantially an unstable fluid and tends to separate fromthe wax. The vibration from the motor 14 is transmitted to the aerosolcontainer 32 by the shaft 20 and the clamps 34. The clamps 34 are madeof an elastomeric material so that the motor vibrations cause thecontainer 32 to be comfortably vibrated. In actual practice, thecontainer 32 has the appearance of a vibrating reed. The vibratorymotion of the container 32 maintains the Freon 12 in solution with theWax so as to Ob". tain the high luster on the floor and so that the Waxsolution may be dispensed in the form of an aerosolized foam.

Thus, it will be seen that the present invention provides a polishingmachine having an aerosol dispenser for wax or any other floor finishingagent resiliently mounted thereon. The wax or floor finishing agent isadapted to be dispensed onto a floor adjacent the brush housing 12 ofthe machine 10 in the form of an aerosolized foam. The machine 10 incooperation with the pad 18 removes the dirt, scuff marks and old waxwhile simultaneously applying the wax foam to the floor as a continuousfilm of wax. Thus, the methods used heretofore involving mops, pails,etc. for cleaning floors and removing scuff marks and old wax areeliminated.

The channels 38 on the clamps 34 prevent the hose 70 t from having anuncontrolled loose position. The wire 74 prevents strain on the hose '76and enables a new container to be located properly when the oldcontainer is empty. The clamps 34 have their greatest thickness in thatportion adjacent the web 42 so as to have sufficient strength to supportthe weight of the container 32 while still providing a resilient mountfor the container 32. The position of the container 32 may be adjustedrelative to the handle 26 to suit the desires of the operator by merelyadjusting the bolts 50. When a new container 32 is substituted for anempty one, the new container is inserted into the annular ring 36 oneach clamp 34. The resiliency of the elastomeric material of the clamps34 permits the annular ring 36 to be deformed temporarily for theinsertion of the new container 32. The adjustability of the position ofthe container 32 permits the handle 60 to be adjacent to the handle 26so that the operator may selectively dispense aerosolized foam whilemaintaining suilicient control over the operation of the machine 10.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a polishing machine comprising a brush housing, a shaft extendingfrom said brush housing, a brush rotatably mounted about a vertical axisand supported by said housing beneath said housing, a handle on saidshaft remote from said brush housing, power means for rotating saidbrush, a sealed pressurized aerosol container for a floor finishingagent resiliently mounted on said shaft by an elastomeric mountingmeans, a valve means on said container adjacent said handle, said valvemeans housing an inlet and outlet side, the inlet side of said valvemeans being in communication with said container, a hose extending'fromthe outlet side of said valve means to a nozzle on said brush housing,said nozzle having an outlet port directed in a direction so that thefloor finishing agent from said container is dispensed under pressure asan aerosolized foam on a floor adjacent said brush housing when saidvalve means is in an opened position.

2. In a polishing machine in accordance with claim 1 said power meansincluding motor means on said brush housing for rotatably driving saidbrush beneath said housing, said finishing agent comprising a waxmaintained in solution with the aerosol propellant by the vibrations ofsaid motor means.

3. In a polishing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein saidelastomeric mounting means comprises an annular ring of elastomericmaterial integrally connected with a U-shaped clamp by a web, the armsof said U- shaped clamp being extended around said shaft, and saidcontainer extending through said annular rings.

4. In a polishing machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein saidannular rings have a thickness adjacent said web greater than thethickness at a point diametrically opposite said web.

5. In a polishing machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said clampsare provided with channels which receive said hose.

6. In a polishing machine comprising a brush housing, a shaft extendingfrom said housing, a brush rotatably mounted about a vertical axis andsupported by said housing beneath said housing, a motor means on saidhousing for driving said brush, a sealed pressurized aerosol containerresiliently mounted on said shaft by elastomeric mounting meansextending between said container and said shaft, a valve means on saidcontainer adjacent an end of said shaft remote from said brush housing,said valve means having an inlet and outlet side, a handle on said valvemeans, the inlet side of said valve means being in communication withsaid container, a nozzle on said brush housing, a conduit extending fromthe outlet side of said valve means to said nozzle, said nozzle having3,071,792 5 6 an outlet port directed in a direction so that thecontents References Cited in the file of this patent of said containermay be dispensed under pressure as UNITED STATES PATENTS an aerosolizedfoam on a floor adjacent said housing when said valve means is in anopen position. 1860168 Bedard May 1932 7. In a polishing machine inaccordance with claim 6 5 212521269 McQuoWn 1941 wherein saidelastomeric mounting means includes a 2,333,829 Taffy 1943 channel forreceiving a portion of said hose. Schulman Sept- 1951 8. In a polishingmachine in accordance with claim 6 2,720,422 Mercur 11, 1955 including ameans on said elastomeric mounting means 2,943,766 July 1960 cooperatingwith said valve means for preventing the 1 2,964,220 PP 1960 strainingof said hose and for locating said valve means when said container isreplaced with a new container.

1. IN A POLISHING MACHINE COMPRISING A BRUSH HOUSING, A SHAFT EXTENDINGFROM SAID BRUSH HOUSING, A BRUSH ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT A VERTICAL AXISAND SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING BENEATH SAID HOUSING, A HANDLE ON SAIDSHAFT REMOTE FROM SAID BRUSH HOUSING, POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDBRUSH, A SEALED PRESSURIZED AEROSOL CONTAINER FOR A FLOOR FINISHINGAGENT RESILIENTLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT BY AN ELASTOMERIC MOUNTINGMEANS, A VALVE MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER ADJACENT SAID HANDLE, SAID VALVEMEANS HOUSING AN INLET AND OUTLET SIDE, THE INLET SIDE OF SAID VALVEMEANS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CONTAINER, A HOSE EXTENDING FROMTHE OUTLET SIDE OF SAID VALVE MEANS TO A NOZZLE ON SAID BRUSH HOUSING,SAID NOZZLE HAVING AN OUTLET PORT DIRECTED IN A DIRECTION SO THAT THEFLOOR FINISHING AGENT FROM SAID CONTAINER IS DISPENSED UNDER PRESSURE ASAN AEROSOLIZED FOAM ON A FLOOR ADJACENT SAID BRUSH HOUSING WHEN SAIDVALVE MEANS IS IN AN OPENED POSITION.